1. Recognize and Celebrate Your Past Year's Successes
Take your time, sit back, and reflect on what you've achieved in the last 12 months. Write these achievements down. Include items like; "I watched less television" or "I was less bothered by …" etc. Once you have your list, take some time to show your pleasure and pride in your successes. You deserve it. We often take our successes for granted. However, this is a key step in having confidence to take on new challenges. Pick an activity or a way to celebrate that is right for you.
2. Identify Your Dreams for the Upcoming Year
Create three to six specific, short statements that identify what you really want. Then, reflect and write down two to four sentences about what it will be like when you have achieved each of these goals. Be as descriptive as you can. Put this information somewhere accessible, so you can pull it out readily throughout your day.
3. Identify the Key Steps You will Take in the Next Three Months that will Move You Towards Your Dreams
You may prefer broad strategic statements, or you may prefer very specific tasks. Either way is fine - select the approach that is right for you. Check that the steps you have selected are doable during this timeframe.
4. Remind Yourself Daily that these Key Steps are Your Priorities
Other opportunities will come your way and only you can choose if you will be distracted or not. You may want to review the material you prepared for item number 2 daily to remind yourself why these key steps are so important for you.
5. Secure the Support that You Need to be Successful
We can be a lot more successful if we share our desires with someone we trust. This could be a friend, a family member or a business coach. You may want more than one person's support. You may also need some tools to help you out, like a daily reminder in your day timer or calendar.
6. Action Your Key Steps
It is very important to take that first step. It's amazing how much enthusiasm and confidence you will have to tackle other items once you have a win or two.
7. Track Your Progress Regularly
This may be daily, weekly or monthly - choose what's right for you. The key here is to keep track of your wins and review the next ones you'll take. This builds momentum.
8. Stay Calm and Remember Life Still Goes On
At times, you may get overwhelmed with all you want to get done. You may simply not have sufficient time in your day for everything. Be kind to yourself. I hear "Rome wasn't built in a day". You may also need to reduce or eliminate something temporarily or permanently that takes a lot of your time but is less important than your key steps. Or you may need to reduce the number of key steps you'll focus on right now.
9. Celebrate Your Successes
It is really important to celebrate your successes. Maybe you should write yourself a congratulatory letter, detailing your accomplishments and how you feel about them. Or maybe you should take a nice, quiet bath to pamper yourself. Choose to celebrate in a way that you will appreciate.
10. Repeat
If you have chosen some big goals or dreams, you may not fully realize them in the first three months. If so, you should repeat steps 3 through 9.
Top Ten Steps to Pursuing Your Dreams in the New Year